Lost ESA after moving house

martyngwynne

Hi, 
My son has just moved to a house with his girlfriend.  She is a nurse with 'standard' nurse's income.  He has been on ESA (mental and physical health issues) and PIP.  He indicated change of address and circumstances and seems to have lost his ESA.  He had no idea this would happen as he just cannot work and surely he is not now regarded as being looked after by his girlfriend?

CaraLee

Welcome to the community @martyngwynne it's nice to meet you! I am sure a member of the community with a similar experience will be able to share with you. I had a similar issue myself when moving in with my partner and it took a few weeks to resolve and required myself and my partner to attend an appointment at the job center to show our tenancy agreement, his wage slips and all of my information again but was soon resolved and back paid - however this was after being moved on you universal credit so I am not certain if esa would work in the same way. Hope you find some answers for you son soon.   

steve51

Hi @martyngwynne

Good Evening & Welcome!!!!!!!

It’s great to meet you today!!!!!!!

 I am one off the “Community Champion’s” 

On our site/ community.

I am very sorry to hear about your current problems!!!!!

We have got some good info/advice/advisors.

All these are available for us to use to ultimately help/support you.

Please please let me know if this will be useful ????

martyngwynne

Hi,
Thank you.  Some advice would be very useful.  I usually help him with filling in forms etc. but i don't want to start doing lots of forms which may be unnecessary or even unhelpful.  I have told him to go to Citizens advice a.s.a.p. to get help first (we live 60 miles away now).  He is getting in a real state about it all (no money!) and i would like to be able to give him a dose of optimism.
Basically situation is:
He has been on ESA for about 2 years (mental health issues, substance abuse).  He also has long term issues with a bad foot which means that he cannot stand/walk for more than an hour or so and then needs to rest it for a day.  He is just about to embark on medical intervention on this which will last for a year and reduce his mobility further at intervals.  His ESA was, i think £360 a fortnight + PIP at about £220 a month.  Then , of course, Housing + C. tax.
Now he has moved in to a new place with able bodies partner who is on about £16,000 a year.
What sort of benefits will he be entitled to if he makes his case in the new authority?

Redorchid

Welcome all new members. Hope you get the help you need x

poppy123456

Hi,

The reason his ESA has stopped was because it sounds like he was claiming Income Related ESA. This is a means tested benefit and as his partner works more than 24 hours per week then he won't be entitled to any Income Related ESA. They are partners now that live together and they are supposed to share their money, as horrible as that sounds.

PIP isn't means tested so he'll get to keep all of that.

He won't be entitled to any benefits in his own right with a partner working and earning a wage, i'm afraid.

Do they rent their home? Are there any dependent children?

If they rent their home they maybe able to claim universal credit as couple and claim some housing element, but this will depend on their circumstances. It's impossible to advise further on an internet forum.

I'd advise them to use a benefits calculator and put both of their details into that (rent included, if they rent) to see what they could claim, if anything. They will of course have to claim as a couple because universal credit is a means tested benefit. Any savings/capital they have that's over £6,000 will affect any means tested benefits they can claim. £16,000 and over then they won't be entitled to claim anything. Benefits calculator is here.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Pippa_Alumni

Welcome to the community @martyngwynne! Glad to see you've had some guidance above.

kami24

If I move to live with my dad will my benefits be affected he only gets 270 maximum a week so only about 1,300 a month maximum after tax 

kami24

I currently live alone but it's like in a horrible bed sit situation and I need to live with support with someone like my dad and near to my mum so she can also emotionally support me 

kami24

We rent and would be renting a bungalow he is 60 and grafted for 45 years 

poppy123456

If you went to live with your dad and you are still claiming JSA then you'll lose the SDP, if your dad doesn't claim a qualifying benefit.

kami24

I know that but would you get any help with rent costs 

poppy123456

You will need to be a joint tenant on the tenancy agreement to get any help with the rent for yourself. If this did happen and it's different local council, or you haven't claimed housing benefit before then you'll need to claim UC for the housing element. Your JSA will then become UC.